I'm sure many of you out there have a similar problem that I have. You get those stupid scam emails from "Africa" that are entitled "Beloved Friend," "Yours in Christ," and "Urgent Attention" are from "people" named John Alison or Daniel Vincent, or some woman called "Sister." (I doubt she's really a nun.) They give you some kind of sob story about how their father or husband was murdered by some repressive regime and they have money stored away in some bank and if you help them by sending them some of your own hard-earned cash you can make far more with them.Do people out there REALLY fall for this crap?
I also get those "phishing" emails about how my account is on hold and it could be deleted if I don't send in my details right away to clear it up. The ones that are really funny are from those companies I've never been associated with. Basically all they are trying to get is your social security number or credit card numbers by having you click a specific link.
Once again, are there people out there REALLY falling for this crap?
I also win the lottery every day, too! About three times a day I get that email that I've won some Euro, British, Irish or some Dutch lottery, and all I have to do is send them some personal details to claim my prize. I once looked at all the addresses that were sent in the email, and there were a few hundred that were all in alphabetical order beginning with the letter "j" (as my email address begins with that letter too). Boy, what a coincidence.
But recently, I've noticed that the number of spam crap I've been getting has gone up. I also noticed in my Site Meter, which I check every day to see where people are reading my blog from, that I've been getting a few readers from African countries like Nigeria and Ivory Coast, and their search words to find my blog always have a "hotmail.com" in them. I guess these are the scammers, and they really are from Africa.
Fortunately, I have a junk mail folder in my hotmail account, and that spam goes right into it. So for those who continue to send me such garbage, forget it. A couple of clicks and it's gone.
The only spam I've ever liked came from Monty Python (pictured above, and one of their funniest sketches). So stop wasting your time.
3 comments:
And Spam is a fine Luncheon Meat, I Might Add:
BTW, the Spam Filters on Earthlink & G-Mail, are excellent
the FBI has a whole team devoted to the Nigerian scam. Last time I looked it up, they were saying it nets $200,000+ every year from Americans. And that was just in reported cases. Lots of folks who are taken don't report as they're afraid they'll be prosecuted for attempted money laundering or some such.
Heck, my Mom still forwards me the (relatively harmless) "bill gates will give $100 to everyone who forwards this email..."
Barnum was right.
I never knew that Americans are still falling for the Nigerian scam to the tune of $200,000, Rob. I saw a web site a couple of years ago that tracks those crooks.
And every blue moon, someone sends me the "Bill Gates" email too...
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